The Express - December 2014 by The Express

ThEExprEss volume 22 | issue 3 | december | blue valley Northwest high school

Money matters As students are exposed to the responsibilities of adulthood, they are faced Read more on page 18

Contents

Carving out a future Above: Senior Nathan Patterson talks about his pen making business with sophomore Carter Ewing (photo by Hope Lancaster). Cover: Graphic by Hannah Adams.

4 5

Due to some recent car accidents, students say the parking lots deserve additional watching.

the aftermath of The awareness of concussions is growing among high school athletes. Junior Ryan Kelly explains how his concussion affected him.

skating through

She spends more time on the ice than at school. Sophomore Lydia McMullen shares why she loves the sport of figure skating.

Senior Camille Abdel participated in the National Novelist Writing Month throughout November, successfully completing the challenge of writing 50,000 words in 30 days.

the express | DeCember 2014

the express staff

editor-in-Chief

Sarah Hirsch

Managing editor

15 18 21

Freshman Alea Beaman and junior Cassady Curtis discuss the effects of their perfectionism.

Money matters Students share their experiences as financial decisions become increasingly common in their day-to-day lives.

Psychology teacher Tenny Dewey and students discuss the effects of different parenting styles.

Ankit Kadakia

news editor

Natasha Vyhovsky Student life is showcased through a variety of photos.

feature editor

Laney Breidenthal

sports editor

Greyson Woerpel

photo editor

28 30

Maddison Barley

entertainment Solve this issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crossword and Sudoku puzzles. Find the answers online at BVNWnews.com.

entertainMent editor

Zac Johnson

opinion editor

Olivia Baird

puzzle editor

Avery Mojica

soCial Media Manager

Claudia Chen

opinion Read student columns and the staff editorial.

Head coach Ed Fritz, left, sends boys trying out for the basketball team out to run laps during tryouts (photo by Hope Lancaster).

Business Manager

Madison Graves

reporters

Emma Bruce Brandon Fagen Cameron Hamm Flammy Huo Morgan Lewis Ayesha Vishnani

photographers

Aggie Cain Hope Lancaster Jenny Lu Emily Staples Nicole Tenold Caroline Trupp

graphiC designer

Hannah Adams

assistant adviser

Kimberly Hillstock

adviser

Jim McCrossen The Express is the official high school news publication of the Blue Valley Northwest High School, an open forum distributed to all students seven times a year. This is Issue 3 of Volume 22. Subscription rates are $10. The Express is printed by Osage Printing, 400 N Liberty St Independence, MO 64050. This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees disclaim any responsibility for the content of this student publication; it is not an expression of School District Policy. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content of this student publication.

the express | DeCember 2014

Taking on traffic

School officials said there are around 750 cars parked in the school lots during school hours. School Resource Officer Jason Hill said many of the cars in the lot do not have the proper parking permits (photo by Caroline Trupp).

ith car accidents in mind, some members of the BVNW community reported to the school they do not feel safe driving on the school campus. In response, the campus officers and Overland Park Police Department have begun clamping down on traffic violations on the BVNW campus in an attempt to make it safer. School Resource Officer Jason Hill said the number one fear the police department faces involving traffic accidents is a student being injured or a car damaged. “All the laws we try to enforce are for a better driving environment for the safety of the students, their families and the staff of the building,” Hill said. Hill said many accidents occur because the stressful schedules that occupy peoples’ minds too often transfer into the drivers seat. “It’s a busy life; everyone’s rushing to get here and there,” Hill said. “People just need to slow down and focus on what they’re doing, not on phones.” Hill said the primary means of preventing unsafe driving at BVNW is by issuing citations because of the heavy consequences associated with them. “The best thing for us to remember is punishment,” Hill said. “People get

irritated at us but they fail to realize the next time they drive through a section [where they have been ticketed], they’re going to remember.” As the temperature begins to drop, Hill said the major thing that drivers should be aware of is the dangers of inclement weather. Hill said this includes students being aware that commuting to school will take more time. “You can’t jump out of bed and get to school in seven minutes like [on] a spring day,” Hill said. “[You have to take time to clean] the windows off, because if you can’t see, you’re going to hit someone.” Junior Alec Taylor said he noticed a large dent on his parked car when leaving after school. Taylor reported it and was told nothing could be done. “Basically [the officer] said I was out of luck,” Taylor said. “All [the officer] did was take a picture of my car. And that just made me feel really bad because I’m one of those people [who] put time in their car.” Taylor said the school should be entrusted with keeping cars safe. When he was told there was no footage of the accident because the side he parked on had no security camera, Taylor was upset. However, Hill said a sizeable amount of accountability should be placed on drivers.

While keeping students’ vehicles safe is a priority of the officers, Hill said it is difficult to focus on both the parking lot and the school building. “Those driving are licensed by the state; therefore, it’s assumed that they understand the rule of the road,” Hill said. Hill said the officers need to be visible inside the school rather than in the parking lot to keep the student body safe. “The easy thing is to say the police don’t do enough, because that’s what usually happens when someone feels like they’ve been slighted,” Hill said. “Unfortunately, we can’t be there to keep the parking lot safe. If one of us is out there that means there’s one person to 1,600 inside, and that’s a horrible ratio.” Taylor said not only should the school be more secure, but also student drivers should be more mindful of a driver’s responsibilities. “I could picture teens’ minds not fully on the road, but you’re driving a machine that could kill someone,” Taylor said. “There’s been so many accidents in that parking lot. It’s a huge [problem] for our school; you’ve got to watch the road.”

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The aftermath of concussions by Greyson Woerpel

With the dangers of concussions becoming more of an issue wtih high school athletes, junior Ryan Kelly shares his story about how his

The express | December 2014

Brain Breakdown z z zz

Depression

Needing more sleep

Memory loss Short attention span Sensitive to noises

ith high schoolers having three times as many catastrophic football injuries as college athletes, football is the most common sport with a risk of concussions for males, according to Cleared to Play, Inc. BVNW trainer Kristi Grimes said she sees an average of one athlete a week who suffers from a concussion. One high school athlete who reports suffering the effects of concussions is junior Ryan Kelly. He received his first concussion last year with a rough hit to the left temple in a football game. “I got hit really hard in the second quarter and I played through the rest of the game,” Kelly said. “I’m not the one to take myself out of a game, which is not the smartest thing. Sometimes I just have flashbacks of it where I just see them coming at me. I remember that. I remember being dazed and shocked. I just kept going.” 15.8 percent of football players who sustain a concussion severe enough to cause loss of consciousness return to play the same day according to Cleared to Play, Inc. Had Kelly informed his coaches about how his head was feeling, offensive line coach Tenny Dewey said he would have sought help immediately. “I’d like to get them help as soon as

possible,” Dewey said. “None of us want to keep someone in a situation where they could exaggerate the damage.” Grimes said problems can arise when athletes think that their minor headache from getting hit in the head during a play is trivial and they keep playing, resulting in an increased agitation of the brain. “Then [the athlete gets] hit again or that little headache continues to last for days,” Grimes said. “Then they come see me because they ignored it three days ago and now they’ve been playing and whatnot. They end up being out for months because they didn’t take care of the little problem [right away].” The day after Kelly was hit in the head while playing in a sub-varsity game, the varsity football team played Blue Valley North. BVNW led the score by enough to let sophomores into the game, and Kelly was among those selected to play. He said he played the entire second half. Kelly said the bright lights and hitting play after play damaged his head even more. “I was really not myself,” Kelly said. “I realized something was wrong and that weekend I went to the doctor and they told me I had a concussion. I was done with football.” According to a study by Frank Conidi, a concussion expert at Florida State University College of Medicine, helmets

help reduce the players’ impact by 20 percent. The first safety step the football teams at BVNW take is getting properly fitted helmets for each player. Dewey also said the coaches carry air pumps in their pockets at all times and constantly remind the players to check the air in their helmets. One precaution Dewey takes is focusing on the blocking and tackling. Dewey teaches his players not to lead with their helmet or their forehead. Overall, he said good equipment, having air in their helmets and teaching proper techniques is how coaches prevent concussions on their team. “There are three main points of contact, two hands in front and the front of the helmet,” Dewey said. “Some of the latest research says that if you look at helmets, you’ll see a lot of scratches in the front because of being hit...all year long. Sometimes those can be a representative of a micro or mini concussion.” During Kelly’s first couple months with a concussion, he suffered from memory loss, only vaguely remembering painful headaches. He does, however, remember returning to sports too soon. In the winter, wrestling aggravated his brain even more. Although assistant wrestling coach Zack Orrick said Kelly sat out the first couple of weeks, it seemed like the

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BVNW players line up for a play against Saint Thomas Aquinas (photo courtesy of Ryan Kelly).

constant slamming into the floor and pinning in wrestling worsened the condition of his concussion. During his second match, Kelly said he remembers hitting his head multiple times. “I just went on my back,” Kelly said. “I needed to be done with it. I just went out into the hall and started crying.” Concussion patients require a mental rest, according to Grimes. This means that the brain should avoid doing activities that require deep thought. Activities that many people take for granted, such as watching television, using their phone or doing homework overwork concussed people. These activities increase brain function and can therefore worsen symptoms and delay recovery. Unable to do anything, Kelly said he would sit in his room and stare at the ceiling. Kelly said he felt as if he was in a fog, living in slow motion while everyone else still moved regularly. Usually an outgoing kid, Kelly’s mother, Debbie Kelly said his teachers noticed him becoming quieter and inattentive in the classroom. Debbie said watching her son go through his concussion was devastating for both her and her husband. Kelly had never previously suffered from a concussion, so Debbie said she did not realize how bad her son’s condition was. “We didn’t really understand what he was going through,” Debbie said. “When we went to the parent-teacher conferences and the teachers said he was withdrawn, we knew we need to take him to the concussion specialist.” While it was necessary in order to overcome the concussion, Kelly said he did not enjoy going through the physical therapy his concussion specialist

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recommended. Kelly said physical therapy for concussions aggravates the brain to the point where the brain has to handle the pain. “It was pretty terrible honestly,” Kelly said. “You stand on a unsteady surface like an inverted exercise ball and you have to balance. You look at a spot on the wall and just shake your head from side to side until your head hurts so bad that you either fall off of the ball or you just start crying.” At BVNW, Grimes said there is now gradual return to play after the athlete

IT WAS TERRIBLE, THE WORST FEELING I’VE EVER DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO -Junior Ryan Kelly suffers from a concussion, depending on the severity. Once they are cleared by their physician to start a gradual return to play and there are no more symptoms, Grimes and the coaches start their own form of rehabilitation to get the player back on the field. The process takes five to seven days minimum, with a gradual increase in activity each day and different workouts. “[Ideally], we can get [the player] out there so they can feel like they are a part of the team but they are not hitting each other,” Grimes said. “We would go through some of those [exercises] so we gradually get them back to where they can do a full practice and then do a full game.” From his own reading, Dewey focused on a story on concussions by Sports Illustrated. The sstory showed a football

player’s brain engaging in an activity before the season. The scan shows red and orange spots, measuring the brain’s ability to function when asked to do a certain activity. About two thirds of the way through the season, there is even less brain activity shown in the research due to the constant hitting in the games and practices. The report shows that the player’s brain isn’t functioning and reacting the way it had before the season had started. Not only are players able to bounce back and compete in games after dealing with a concussion, they are also able to get back into the classroom. Dewey said although the player’s brain is not functioning and reacting the way it had before the injury occurred, it is able to continuously make progress with basic functions like memorization. “The nice thing is the young brain has great plasticity,” Dewey said. “It is able to grow, develop and heal itself.” Athletic Director Steve Harms said BVNW has implemented ImPACT (Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) into its sports programs. Grimes said players take a computerized assessment before the season when they’re concussion-free to establish a baseline score. If a player is later thought to have a head injury, they take the test again and the scores are compared. All of BVNW’s sports teams are required to take this test at the beginning of their season. Harms said the value of ImPACT testing is immeasurable, and it will help with assessing the level of damage of athletes’ head injuries. Grimes agreed, saying if the doctors did not have the data from the ImPACT testing, they would not have been able to compare the athlete’s health after the injury with how their health was prior to the season starting. Looking back on how his concussion affected him, Kelly said it was awful. Although he has made progress, Kelly still has not fully recovered emotionally from the traumatic hit to his left temple. “It was terrible, the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my life,” Kelly said. “When I would get a terrible headache, which was every day all the time pretty much, I just didn’t know how to deal with it. I would just go in my bed and cry because you just can’t really control yourself.”

Skating through school by Emma Bruce Sophomore Lydia McMullen spends a majority of her free time figure skating. In order to spend more time on the ice, she is gone first and seventh period of the school day.

Top: Sophomore Lydia McMullen practices her pancake spin at the Southwestern Regional Figure Skating Championship. Middle: McMullen stands for a picture with her coach Wendy David. David has been coaching McMullen for 12 years. Bottom: McMullen goes up in a double jump while skating. A double jump is a jump with two full rotations (720 degrees) in the air (photos courtesy of McMullen).

igure skaters enter the rink, eager to show off their carefully practiced routines. Excitement and energy envelope the air. Among the athletes is sophomore Lydia McMullen, ready to display her skills on the ice. McMullen started figure skating when she was two years old. Her mom took her to a Mommy and Me class, and she said she fell in love with the sport. “Skating is so appealing because it’s really unique,” McMullen said. “Not everybody is doing it. It’s just really magical.” McMullen figure skates six days a week at Kansas City Ice Center and Ice Pavilion. She began shortening her school days her freshman year and has worked her practice time up to 16 hours a week. To gain extra practice time, she misses her first and seventh period of school. “I shorten my time so I can skate at least two hours a day instead of just an hour,” McMullen said. “I’ve improved a lot [since getting more practice time], because I get to do more off ice which helps me improve my elements on the ice.”

McMullen said another benefit of figure skating during school hours is that there are not many people at the ice rink. She said practicing when it is not as crowded makes it easier to get more things done, because one can move around easier. She said it makes her feel powerful. To make up for the extra hours spent at the rink, McMullen takes US Government and History of the Western World online. She also takes online classes during the summer. She said she originally found it difficult to balance school and skating, but it has gotten easier with age. “Its difficult because I have to spend some late nights studying,” McMullen said. “When the homework piles on, it can be hard to get it all done. That’s really the only difficulty. Without [skating], I don’t think I could handle school.” Practice off the ice includes core, cardio, and practicing jumps. During practice, her coach helps her stretch and work on the positions of her spins. “[What McMullen does during practice] depends on the time of year and what [she] is getting ready to do,” McMullen’s the express | December 2014

coach, Wendy David, said. “If it’s before competition, we run a lot of programs. Programs are performances where figure skaters show off certain jumps and spins in a specific time limit. The requirements are decided by the United States Figure Skating Association. McMullen performs two at every competition. “I like competing against other athletes but I really like competing against myself,” McMullen said. “Every competition I receive a score, and I work really hard to beat that score at the next competition.” If McMullen isn’t practicing for a competition, David said she uses the time to improve on her elements. Elements include jumps, spins and stretch sequences. “[Figure skating] has helped me with school because it’s taught me to keep going and finish what you start,” McMullen said. “I know that everything takes a lot of work, but with a lot of work, everything pays off in the end.”

the express | December 2014

McMullen poses for her Ina Baur. An Ina Bauer is a “moves in the field” element in figure skating in which a skater skates on two parallel blades. One foot is on a forward edge and the other leg is on a backward and different parallel edge (photo courtesy of McMullen).

Left: Senior Camille Abdel works on writing her novel, “After Now,” for the National Novel Writing Month (photo by Jenny Lu).

A novel idea

This November, senior Camille Abdel completed a 50,000 word novel during National Novel Writing Month.

by Madison Graves

or the past three years, senior Camille Abdel has taken part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) during the month of November. NaNoWriMo is a worldwide event for writers to write a 50,000-word novel in one month. The goal is to write 1,667 words per day. “When you think about writing a novel it’s this big, scary thing,” Abdel said. “[NaNoWriMo] is about pushing yourself and getting that novel written in a month.” Abdel said she has been reading and writing all her life. She first attempted to write a novel in eighth grade, and found out about NaNoWriMo during her sophomore year. “During the year I don’t write all that much, and pushing myself to write every single day is so much fun for me,” Abdel said. “It teaches me a lot of discipline.” Abdel said she mostly writes young adult fiction focusing on teenagers, and began writing with fan fictions. “I have always loved reading and writing,” Abdel said. “Writing is just a really fun way for me to get my ideas out there and express myself. It’s something I can’t imagine my life without because it’s something I love so much.” According to Abdel, she takes a lot of inspiration from other authors such as John Green and Veronica Roth. A year ago, Abdel met Green and she claims he was very encouraging for her. “The best writers are readers,” Abdel said. They’re so similar and dependent on one another. I’ve always taken that to heart and read all different kinds of things so I can take techniques from there and incorporate it into my writing.” Through the community of writers online Abdel has met friends with whom she writes. There are also groups within Kansas City that Abdel said attribute to her love of the community aspect of writing. “I feel like the important part is that, even if you’re writing [the novel] by yourself, it shouldn’t just be you,” Abdel said. “It should be a community thing. You should have support and you should have people who are willing to read and listen to you talk

about it. I love that support.” Abdel said a lot of her support comes from senior Lauren Baumert, who helped her when she first began doing NaNoWriMo. “Lauren is really the first person I let read my novel when I was finished with it,” Abdel said. “She has been a really huge support for me throughout the years. Baumert has read a lot of Abdel’s edited work and said she sees a lot of talent and room to grow in her work. Baumert said she sees Abdel going far with her writing. “Compared to when Camille first started, she’s a lot more confident in her writing,” Baumert said. “I know that she works really hard on it and she’s really proud of it.” Abdel said her favorite part about writing is developing the characters as she writes. “I think that it’s so much fun to make character names that relate to the book and finding all the character traits and discover who they are,” Abdel said. “It’s kind of a thrill to have this whole world in your hands.” At the end of the month, Abdel successfully finished her novel with 50,000 words. Abdel said she feels both tired and overwhelmed about the whole experience she describes as surreal. “This year I finished my story in 50,000 [words] and it felt like ‘this is it, this is a story,’” Abdel said. “It was one of those moments where it doesn’t really set in. Like, I just wrote a novel, how many times do you get to say that in your life?” Abdel said she will be taking the rest of the year off and will start up again in January to begin the editing process and hopefully send the story in to a publisher. “I have this really great foundation that I can build off of and continue to work on,” Abdel said. “It’s the first time I’ve felt really confident about a story, so I really just want to edit it out and really make the story the best it can be.”

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Read a preview of Camille Abdel’s novel, “After Now,” below. The war is over. Darkness has fled and left in its wake is the Arcani flag, still flying high. Standing beneath it is Calden Anders, who was thrown into this mess with his best friend and fighting partner, Lani Sears, when the symbol of Arcani appeared on the smooth inside skin of their wrists. They saved Arcani and made it back alive…just barely. It seems the darkness is gone for good and there’s nothing left to do but return to what is seemingly normal. Everything has changed around him, and now Calden is back, learning to live in the “real world” again as Arcani goes on in peace without him. Even Lani, who he thought would never leave his side, is going back home across the country. To his dismay, Calden is forced to go back to school himself where he is overwhelmed with school work and becoming an adult, none of which he learned fighting the darkness in Arcani. But as the year intensifies, Calden starts to forget his old life in Arcani… just as they begin to need him the most.

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Carving out a future by Brandon Fagen

Senior Nathan Patterson took up the art of pen making and is in the process of turning his hobby into a business.

Above: Senior Nathan Patterson holds a piece of acrylic and a pen he made from a similar piece of acrylic. Top left: Pattersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pens are displayed. Top right: Patterson uses a lathe to sand an unfinished pen during woods class (photos by Hope Lancaster).

is hand holds a sharp chisel and slowly moves it toward a rapidly spinning block of wood. The chisel meets the wood at a very precise angle and carves out a small strip. It peels back layers of wood, transforming it into what will soon be a pen. Senior Nathan Patterson has been making his own pens since early October. He started in his industrial technology class, and it has expanded to his home. The process consists of many steps and requires a lot of skill and practice. “The way I do it is I first get the kit,” Patterson said. “Each kit is different... I will have to drill a hole [into the wood], which will fit the tubing.” Other than the wood or acrylic to make the body of the pen and the pen kit, a set of metal pieces used to make the pen, Patterson has bought chisels, a drill and sanding materials. He buys the materials at a store called Woodcraft in Lenexa, in a pen catalog or online. The next step is to cut the wood to the correct size and drill a hole in it. After that, he puts a metal tube into the wood using a special glue. “I put [the pen] on the lathe, which goes at a pretty high speed, and I turn it down to the diameter each pen will need to be at,” Patterson said. The lathe acts as a potter’s wheel for the pen; it turns it at high speeds so Patterson can carve the wood evenly. Once it is finished, Patterson takes the pen off and assembles it using the pen kit. He said the process can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half to complete. “There is a challenge to it because you have to be very precise with each stroke of the chisel or else you could potentially ruin the pen,” Patterson said. Crafting pens is not just a hobby, however. Patterson plans to make it into his own business. Patterson is offering a special deal to BVNW students and staff where the individual can design their own pen. He will also start selling pens on his website, which he plans to make in the near future. Patterson said one of the best parts about pen making is

The express | December 2014

the creation of something that cannot be redone. Industrial technology teacher Darren Masten said making pens is something Patterson was meant to do; he has a creative mind. “He’s thinking of stuff he wants to build and create,” Masten said. “He is constantly stretching his skill level.” According to Patterson, after he figured out he could make a profit from making pens, the craft became more of a job than a hobby. However, as with all jobs, there are positive and negative aspects to pen making. “A downside is definitely the initial investment into everything because it’s going to cost you a lot in the first place,” Patterson said. According to Patterson, the beginning cost is relatively high. The lathe itself is $500, and other tools Patterson uses contribute to a total starting cost of $700. For each pen, the pen kits and the wood or acrylic can cost anywhere from $3 to $500. Bob Patterson, Patterson’s grandfather, purchased the lathe for him. “I knew he had shown interest in pens, and I knew in order for him to further that opportunity, he needed a lathe,” Bob said. Bob wanted Patterson to make his hobby into a business, so he bought him the lathe. According to Patterson, there are many things about his new business he likes. He said it is more fun than a regular job, and he likes being his own manager. “It helps when you don’t have anybody else to answer to but the customer,” Patterson said. “I like being relaxed and having my own management.” Patterson said he wants to continue making pens through college. He also plans to use the revenue he makes from pen making to pay for his education. “He will be a rock star,” Masten said. “The sky is going to be the limit for this guy.”

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A PERFECT STATE OF MIND by Natasha Vyhovsky

Perfectionism is the driving force for many students at both the high school and college levels, with varying repercussions surrounding it.

erfectionism takes shape in many different forms among students, with its effects varying from extreme anxiety to extra motivation and straight A’s. For freshman Alea Beaman and junior Cassady Curtis, perfectionism can either be the extra push needed to turn in quality assignments, or it can be the looming worry that the best is not good enough. Beaman said her perfectionism has had mostly positive effects for her during her time in high school, as it pushes her to work harder and achieve more than she believes she would if she were not a perfectionist. “I guess my perfectionism isn’t like ‘you have to be perfect all the time,’ but it’s like eventually being perfect,” Beaman said. “So I see that in a lot of aspects — working toward perfectionism, not necessarily making sure that I’m perfect on absolutely everything.” Dale Dorsey is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Kansas and author of “The Basic Minimum: A Welfarist

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Approach,” a book that outlines the characteristics and the pursuit of the “ideal life.” Dorsey defines perfectionism as the tendency of people to want their endeavors to reach some sort of ideal they’ve set for themselves. At the age of two, Beaman said she began to notice her perfectionist personality when she started to follow in the footsteps of her older sister Mackenzie and allow healthy competition to fuel her drive. “[Mackenzie and I] don’t compare ourselves to each other...but I want to be able to succeed just like she did, so it kind of pushes me a little bit harder to be able to reach the goals I want to,” Beaman said. During her first semester of high school, Beaman said she has learned how to better accept results that are less than what she initially hoped. She said she does not get down on herself as much as she used to in middle school, but she still approaches every opportunity with the goal of doing it to the very best of her personal standards.

“If there’s an opportunity for something to be very, very put together and complete, then I will definitely go the extra mile to make sure that it is perfect to my standards,” Beaman said. As he recognizes the relationship between simply the desire for success and perfectionism, Dorsey said the main difference, and what he considers dangerous about perfectionism, is refusing to accept anything but the ideal, even when good opportunities present themselves. Junior Cassady Curtis said she has also seen the benefits that her perfectionism offers her. However, for Curtis, the standards she has for herself sometimes get in her way. “[Perfectionism] is a little bit of both [good and bad],” Curtis said. “It helps me for being able to do well in school, but it also sucks when you try to be perfect at everything and you can’t do it. I try to be perfect in my job, my schoolwork and everything outside of school, but they all get in the way of each other.” Curtis said she has known since fifth

grade that she is a perfectionist because she noticed early her need to do things perfectly the first time. She said her perfectionist characteristics have never influenced her as much as they have since she began high school. “For tests, if I don’t know the information, I’ll stay home, miss the test, study and take it the following day,” Curtis said.” “Every time I don’t get an A...I get really nervous and upset, and it makes me really stressed, and I have to miss work for it.” Curtis said she can oftentimes not complete assignments to her standards in time for many of her deadlines, which she said gives her anxiety. Curtis’ mom Paula Curtis said she has witnessed her daughter sitting in the kitchen, doing her homework and crying multiple times this year. In addition to stress surrounding her homework, Paula said she has seen Curtis’ school-related pressure present itself after Curtis received a grade she considered less than desirable. “An example is one day where she comes busting into my work and she’s

crying, Paula said, “and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, Cassady, what’s the matter?’ So I take her to the back room... and she got a D on a test. And my boss comes out after she left and he goes, ‘Is she OK? Did somebody die?” Dorsey said doing well in school is important, not for the sake of getting an A, but rather for learning the material and gaining information. He said one should always keep in mind the things that he believes are truly of value at the end of the day, such as forming lifelong friendships. “You’re interested in doing really extremely well and you want the straight A’s,” Dorsey said. But you don’t want to try to pursue that ideal to the extent that it becomes debilitating or that you miss out on good things in life — stuff that you can’t really get back.” Because Paula did not possess Curtis’ perfectionism while she was in school, she said she has a hard time understanding the stress her daughter puts on herself for grades, and therefore does not always know how to effectively give her advice on the matter.

the express | December 2014

55% negative

45% yes

Perfectionism at BVNW

Do you believe perfectionism is mostly a positive or a negative characteristic?

Do you consider yourself to be a perfectionist?

55% no

4% 4-6 times

591 students polled*

Left: Junior Cassady Curtis works on her homework in the BVNW LMC. Curtis said her perfectionist qualities have caused her to oftentimes redo assignments (photo by Aggie Cain).

6% 7+ times

550 students polled*

25% 1-3 times

School counselor Becky Coker recommends that parents of perfectionists help their teens, if needed, by finding an outside source to assist in dealing with the effects of perfectionism. “We’ve seen a lot of students have success when they go speak to somebody outside of school...they are able to have somebody else that’s a non-biased party be in the middle and be able to help not only the student manage their piece of it, but also [the parents] with what they can do from home to encourage their student.” Coker said the counseling team sees perfectionist students at BVNW often. She said some are able to deal with it in their own ways, while others seek assistance. “[We counselors] help the student process, and help them come to realize that some of the expectations that they put on themselves are not realistic,” Coker said. Despite the stress that grades have caused Curtis throughout high school, Paula said she has seen Curtis become more relaxed this year and begin to accept some B’s in weighted classes, whereas she

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How many times have you missed school to avoid turning in an assignment or taking a test this year?

45% positive

65% 0 times

570 students polled*

used to need straight As. In the grand scheme of Curtis’ perfectionism, Paula said she is proud of her daughter because her drive has resulted in many accomplishments, such as a letter in academics. Paula said she hopes Curtis maintains her drive in college but also manages to keep a balance. At the collegiate level, Dorsey said he has seen students who he believes have come to worship the symbol of an A, but not what the symbol is supposed to represent, which he identifies as a notable problem. “So you get an A,” Dorsey said. “What is that worth? In and of itself, nothing... The A in and of itself is worth zero. What’s worth something is maybe learning the subject..having doors open for you or opportunities, but the A is utterly worthless.” Dorsey said college brings an entirely new level of stress in comparison to high school, especially for those who already face the stress of perfectionism. Dorsey said he frequently sees this stress prove destructive and cause serious health

The Express staff polled students during lunch Nov. 13.

problems for some perfectionists. “I see kids in my office all the time, and they need therapy,” Dorsey said. “They don’t need me, they need a psychologist. [There are] tremendous problems with drug addiction...People are under tremendous amounts of stress; they can’t sleep, they can’t eat...it causes physiological damage to your body, being under this kind of strain.” Paula said Curtis’ perfectionism comes partly from the fact that she has known her future and college plans since eighth grade, which has given her that extra push to do well in school and reach her goals. Although Paula said she is glad that Curtis is excited about her own future plans, she also recognizes the need for her daughter to step back and have fun as well. “If it’s going to make you cry and stress you out so much that it’s affecting your daily life, then that’s too much,” Paula said.

Money matters T

he mouse hovers over the “buy now” icon. For a moment, senior Arron Weber ponders over whether he is making a wise financial decision by purchasing this pair of boots for the winter. After recalling the fact that he has eyed the boots for quite some time and has waited patiently for the right sale, Weber makes the purchase. For Weber, deciding which items to buy requires planning; it is his money after all. “I pay for probably almost all of my clothing,” Weber said. “I pay for car insurance, gas, and entertainment. If it’s anything aside from Netflix I have to pay for it. Anything I do with friends, I pay for that, too.” It was around the end of his junior year when Weber said his allowance ended and his purchases came from his own pocket. He said he had to pay for anything besides meals at home, heating and Wi-Fi. For Weber’s mother, Michelle Cargile, the reason for pushing Weber to be more financially independent stems from his wants becoming too numerous for the weekly allowance to keep up with. “As his wants increased, [I started saying] ‘I’m not going to pay for that,’” Cargile said. “You’re going to have to get a job for those kinds of things. So I provide these basic things like [socks, a pair of jeans, etc.], but if he wants more clothes, he’s going to have to provide for those.” With his allowance cut, Weber said he acquired a job at Target as a way to save for the things he wants to buy. Cargile said she encouraged her son to find a job because of the numerous lessons he could pick up from it. “You’re going to have to learn

how to be in the world and work with people so you need to start learning how to do that,” Cargile said. “Even doing the things you don’t want to do, that’s just part of [having a job].” Weber said he does not like the change from having his family buy things for him to paying for things on his own. He said it can be difficult paying for things he never had to worry about before. “Paying for stuff sucks,” Weber said. “With having a job it’s like, I can pay for my stuff now but, at the same time, I don’t want to. Now that it’s my money I’m like, ‘I don’t need that.’” For junior Surabhi Khachar, earning some income is a bonus for what she loves to do- dance. Khachar said she has been dancing for 13 years, and makes money as a dance instructor. Money she earns usually goes toward eating out with friends, while her parents maintain her bank account, funding for necessities like clothes and gas. “If [my parents] ever see my bank account is low, they’ll just add money,” Khachar said. “[The bank account] is just a way for me to regulate what I do.” Khachar’s father, Atul Khachar, said the financial model he was raised with has a large impact on how much he trusts his daughter with finances, and what he expects from her. “I come from India,” Atul said. “In the Indian system, they have kids finish their studies, [while the kids are] more or less covered by the parents… until college is finished. I come from that background and that’s the same model that continues in our home as well.” Khachar said even though her parents pay for most of her expenses, she does understand the

importance of being frugal and the level of trust her parents place in her by allotting her money. “My parents have given me their ideals,” Khachar said. “I have a pretty good level of understanding of how money works and how much you should spend and what things you should and shouldn’t spend on.” Susan Brown, senior personal banker at Bank of America, said having to balance between school and work is a tradeoff that can pay off in high school, but emphasis should be placed on work experience during college. “You know, if you’re making great grades and you’re involved in a lot of school activities, you may not be able to get a job,” Brown said. “That’s generally when parents will say ‘here’s an allowance.’ Definitely when kids are out of college, they should be on their own. They should... start looking for a job.” In regards to how teens should be budgeting, Brown said teens need to be thinking twice about their purchases. She said understanding the importance of saving money before making a purchase is an essential habit for teens to develop. “You don’t want to just be swiping your debit card and buying, because… you won’t learn budgeting rules or savings skills,” Brown said. “Down the road it’s going to be your own money you’re spending and it’s going to be harder to have somebody finance you.” During his time at BVNW, business teacher Pat Swanson said he has noticed students focus more on academics and less on job experience. While Swanson said both lifestyles can work, those who do not work during high school could potentially be missing out on a valuable lesson. “I probably see more of the not

the express | December 2014

working, where the students are basically being asked to focus on activities,” Swanson said. “Both can clearly work, we just got to make sure the kid who doesn’t have the [authentic] experience still gets the opportunity to learn about it.” One opportunity to learn about finance while at BVNW is by taking the Personal Finance class. In the class, students learn things like how to balance checkbooks and how to purchase a car. Swanson said students come to understand the importance of financial knowledge. “[Reception has] been positive,” Swanson said. I get responses from kids who say, ‘hey I know how to look for a car, I know I’m not being taken advantage of when I’m in charge of my money.’” Even though Khachar has not had to rely on herself for finances like Weber has, she said she will have to be more financially independent in college. “Even though I will become more independent economically [when I go to college], those ideals I was brought up with will still be an inherent part of me,” Khachar said. “I’ll still be wise when it comes to money and things like that.” Atul said even though his daughter has not had the same amount of work experience as some of her peers, he trusts that the transition from being dependent on her parents to living on her own will not be painful one. “I’m not worried too much about it,” Atul said. “She’s not getting the real work experience so much [in high school, but] she understands.” On the other hand, as a result of relying on himself for most expenses, Weber said he has learned to be much more meticulous in choosing what to buy. Weber said he budgets by making a list of the things he would like to buy, then checking on those items periodically in search for a sale. “I try to buy things I think will last and then save what I don’t spend, and slowly have that accumulate into a little bit more,” Weber said. Weber said learning to be more conscious of his personal finances is not an easy lesson to learn, namely because it is difficult to strike a balance between work and school. “I think if someone would cover my finances it would make things like school a lot easier,” Weber said.

the express | December 2014

“[Having a job] is more valuable for life, whereas not [having to work] it is more valuable for school. It’s kind of [asking] which one is more important.” Cargile said she likes to think her son is learning a lesson on the importance of being mindful of one’s finances before going into the working world as an adult. “I think things mean much more when you pay for them yourself, and you worked hard to get that,” Cargile said. “If somebody’s given something to them all the time, they don’t respect it and they don’t value it because it didn’t mean anything to them.” Swanson said from his perspective, Personal Finance should be a course requirement for graduation, because the class teaches financial literacy, a skill

Things mean much more when you pay for Them yourself and you worked hard To geT ThaT

-michelle cargile

Swanson said any high school graduate must be equipped with. “I would argue, pretty vehemently, that it would be a positive thing for kids to be able to know they’re walking out of school being prepared for college,” Swanson said. “[Students should be able to say] ‘I’m leaving mom and dad, I’m aware of what’s going on, I can think for myself and I can keep myself from harm, financially.’” One BVNW student, junior Taylor Mason, said that although she understands the necessity of being financially conscious, her spending habits are far less conservative than those of most teenagers. “I feel like I spend a lot more than average teenagers just because I go shopping every week [or] every other week which is a problem,” Mason said. “So I feel like I spend a lot more and at a lot quicker rate than most people.”

Mason said she frequently shops at places such as The Plaza and Town Center. She said the majority of the money she spends is on clothing because she is interested in fashion. On a recent shopping trip, Mason said she spent approximately $200 on a necklace, a skirt and a dress. However, she said her spending is justified to a certain degree because she covers some of her shopping expenses herself with money she makes through babysitting. She said not having a job would significantly impact her spending decisions. “I would definitely be more cautious of [spending money] because once it’s gone, it’d be gone,” Mason said. “Since I have an income source, I’m not worried about [money] because I can make it back.” Nonetheless, Mason said her parents typically pay for her expensive items. Mason also said her parents pay for her expenses if they are going shopping with her. “I know this sounds spoiled, [but] if I’m shopping with my mom I’ll say I like something,” Mason said. “And then she’ll go, ‘Oh, OK. I’ll buy it for you.’” Mason’s mom, Cynthia Mason, said she does not particularly regulate Mason’s spending. “I make suggestions if I think she’s spending more on a certain item than she should,” Cynthia said. “But I don’t really put any restrictions on her own money. Now if it’s my money that she’s spending there are probably more restrictions on it.” Although Cynthia is aware of Mason’s frequent shopping trips, she approximated that her daughter spends an average of $30 to $50 when she goes shopping. However, Mason said she on an average shopping trip she spends around a hundred to a couple hundred dollars.

Nonetheless, Cynthia said that knowing this does not change her perception of her daughter’s spending habits because she babysits to pay part of her spending expenses. However, Cynthia said that she and Mason’s dad cover the majority of her leisurely expenses. Additionally, they pay for her phone bill through the checking account Taylor has set up. Mason said she stores most of the money she makes and receives from her parents in the checking account for future uses. Mason said doing this allows her to efficiently keep track of her spending. Although she has a savings account, she said she does not use it often. Though Mason said that she is an impulsive spender, Cynthia said she thinks Mason balances her account and manages her charges and expenses well. Additionally, she thinks having an account is a great learning opportunity for kids

because it teaches them to manage their money and determine whether or not certain spending decisions are worth making. “When you’re spending your own money, you spend it differently than [when] you’re spending someone else’s which is why it’s a great experience,” Cynthia said. Brown said through her 34 years of experience working at a bank, she has seen the advantages of utilizing not only a checking account, but also a savings account because it forces students to be aware of their spending. “If they have a savings and say their goal is ‘I’m going to save half my income,’ they take it out of their checking and put it in their savings,” Brown said. “They spend, their balance gets low so they have to either stop or they have to make an effort to go into their [savings account] and move it over.” Brown said starting bank accounts

Do you do a good job of managing your money? 328

To what extent do your parents pay

308

150

Yes 60%

No 40%

*of 328 students polled during lunch on Nov. 6

allows students to see how quickly they are spending their money. She said it also educates the students on where and how much money they spend because they are managing their money themselves through the account. This allows them to develop smart spending habits before they are adults. Brown said, above all, that it is essential that students create spending related targets, especially if they are frequent spenders. “If you know you’re a spender you need to set goals like ‘I’m only going to give myself this amount and that’s it and stick to it,’” Brown said. “Because down the road it’s going to be your own money you’re spending and it’s going to be harder to have somebody finance you.”

Not at all 10.71%

somewhat 50.32%

All the time 38.97%

*of 308 students polled during lunch on Nov. 6

the express | December 2014

Parental

pressure

by Claudia Chen

parents have on them.

Photo illustration by Maddison Barley

Left: Junior Enya De Luna and her parents spend time bonding in their home. De Luna’s parents prefer a more laid back style to teach their daughter how to be independent. Right: Junior Suruchi Ramanujan studies while her parents look over her work. Ramanujan considers her parents to be authoritative. (photos by Jenny Lu).

he is in five Advanced Placement classes, is a varsity debater and is the president of the Math Honor Society. She took Advanced Placement Calculus when she was in eighth grade, and was one of 30 international finalists for the 2012 Google Science Fair. Though these achievements are her own, junior Suruchi Ramanujan said she attributes a lot of her success to the discipline from her parents. “I know if I didn’t have very much guidance on the way, I would have zero discipline,” Ramanujan said. “Their parenting style has helped me... focusing on the right things.” Psychology teacher Tenny Dewey said there are four main types of parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and uninvolved. Dewey said authoritarian parents typically use heavy discipline and one-way communication from the parent to the child, whereas authoritative parents employ two-way communication, where both the parent

and the child contribute to problem solving. Permissive parenting employs one-way communication from the child to the parent, and uninvolved parenting involves neglect of the child. Dewey said research has shown that kids with authoritative parents grow up to have higher levels of social competency. “Longitudinal studies have shown that children [whose parents are authoritative] grow up to have higher levels of selfesteem, to be more self-reliant, selfindependent and to do better in social interactions,” Dewey said. Ramanujan said she considers her parents to be authoritative, as they listen to her input but remind her to stay on track. “When I want to go out or something like that, occasionally they’ll allow me to,” Ramanujan said. “If they know I have a deadline or something important coming up, they’ll make me question my decision, because what’s more important: going out with friends or something that can

actually impact your future?” Ramanujan’s father, Sam Ramanujan, said he uses a more involved parenting style to prevent his children from making what he considers to be unnecessary mistakes. “I just make sure that my kids don’t make the mistakes which will lead to more catastrophic consequences,” Sam said. “Sometimes you know [something] has been done before, and it’s not good.” Ramanujan’s parents check her grades around three times a week and conference with her if her grades are not up to their standards. While Ramanujan said the structure from her parents has been beneficial, she does sometimes experience more stress because of her parents. “Sometimes [they] makes me more stressed if I realize that there’s no way I can fulfill their goals,” Ramanujan said. Dewey said every person reacts differently to stress, but there can be instances where parental stress makes a situation worse.

the express | December 2014

“Every individual’s definition of stress [is different],” Dewey said. “For some folks...if a person’s predisposed to certain psychological issues, maybe [the stress] exacerbates the situation.” Ramanujan said the immediate stress she experiences is worth it when she sees long term results. “I think immediately it’s negative stress, but then afterward once I get results back or stuff like that, I feel really good about myself,” Ramanujan said. For junior Enya De Luna, the amount of stress she feels from her parents is minimal. “[My parents are] pretty laid back,” De Luna said. “They’re always at home to talk to me about stuff, [but] they trust me to be in charge of my own grades and in charge of my stuff.” De Luna said because her parents are more hands off, she has learned to be more self-reliant. “I’m more mature and responsible because I don’t have to depend on my

the express | December 2014

parents to tell me what to do,” De Luna said. “They’re not hovering, which is good.” De Luna’s father, Arturo De Luna, said he feels by letting De Luna be independent, she is more ready for the world after high school. “By showing her what the consequences of doing or not doing what you’re supposed to do...[she is] learning how things work in the real world,” Arturo said. De Luna said her independence has taught her to to take responsibility for her actions. “It’s kind of helping me that I have to take responsibility for everything that I have to do and make my own choices,” De Luna said. Sam said he did not make many mistakes when he was child, so he feels Ramanujan should grow up this way as well. “I didn’t make too many mistakes and it worked out well, so I believe I should

give her the opportunity to avoid mistakes too,” Sam said. “Later, when you’re 18... when you can actually think through and actually bear the consequences... you can make all the mistakes that you want.” Arturo, on the other hand, said he feels he can help De Luna learn by letting her make her own decisions. “When I was brought up and the way I’m bringing my kids up, you don’t need to be making all the decisions for them-that will prevent them from growing,” Arturo said. Ultimately, Dewey said every person reacts to his or her parent’s parenting style differently. “I imagine a spectrum from, ‘I know what the expectations are, [and] I’m going to work harder to fulfill the expectations of my family,’ to feeling some anxiety [and] maybe engaging in behaviors that aren’t maybe ethical to achieve or maintain a grade or a score,” Dewey said. “Every family unit’s different...It’s not...black and white.”

Perspectives

photos of Husky life

1. 1. Junior Sam Crowl reads the temperature of his solution in order to calculate the specific heat of an unknown metal during a lab in AP Chemistry (photo by Emily Staples). 2. Art teacher John Butcher solders a ring during jewelry class (photo by Caroline Trupp). 3. Sophomore Corinna Hamm poses for REbeLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s White Board Wednesday picture during Be Thankful Week, Nov. 17-21 (photo by Aggie Cain).

2. The express | December 2014

3. 27

1. 1. Principal Amy Murphy speaks during the National Scholar Breakfast, which took place Nov. 13 (photo by Aggie Cain). 2. Freshman Jake Willenbring takes a breath during his freestyle stroke at swim practice (photo by Hope Lancaster). 3. Senior Charlie Anderson plays ping pong with his friends during his lunch period. Anderson is the president of the Ping Pong Pals (photo by Caroline Trupp). 4. Working for the Dawg House, junior Jordan Joyce cuts locker stickers in preparation of Purple Tuesday (photo by Emily Staples). 5. Junior Theresa Dennison helps color a sign for her ELA project on “The Great Gatsby” (Photo by Emily Staples). 6. At lunch juniors Suruchi Ramanujan and Peter Hartman read a note written for REbeL’s Be Thankful Week (photo by Emily Staples).

2. 26

the express | December 2014

5. 6.

the express | December 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

crOssWOrD

By Avery Mojica

Title: Winter Wonderland

FIND ANSWERS TO THE CROSSWORD PUZZLE AND SUDOKU ONLINE, AT BVNWNEWS.COM

the express | December 2014

crOssWOrD cLUes AcrOss

1. Drove too fast 5. Baseball hats 9. “Too bad, _____!” (2 words) 14. Listen 15. Article recounting one’s life after death (abbr.) 16. _____-Grain (breakfast bar brand) 17. “Do ____ others...” 18. Sandwich shop 19. Angle whose measure is less than 90 degrees 20. Cold war? 23. Popular skin design 24. Ginger ___ 25. Word connecting “more” and “merrier” 28. It can be shaped like a man? 33. Biblical verb 37. Female deer 38. Steve _____ from “Guitar Town”

41. Start recycling, say (2 words) 43. There’s one on this page? 44. Gift topper 45. Ice cream brand 46. Heat-of-the-moment determiner? 50. Go on and on 51. Granola grain 52. Scrub in the tub 57. “Season’s greetings!” “Perspectives” page of this newspaper 64. One who saves the day 65. Gorillas and chimps 66. Uphold a commitment 67. Ages 68. ____ Koolada (Robek’s

DOWN

1. “Be quiet!” 2. Tubular pasta 3. _____ the run (munch and move, 2 words) 4. Inundate 5. Final measures? 6. Adam’s second son 7. Ransack 8. Suppress, as a yawn 9. Impediment 10. “That hurts!” 11. Talked like Porky Pig? 12. Sculpture or painting 13. Cube with dots 21. Luggage item than”

27. Idyllic places 29. Altar vow 30. Negative conjunction 69. Klutzy 31. Whine for table scraps 70. Lose solidity 32. Like an unassisted triple 71. It’s made of Styrofoam in play? the cafeteria 33. Robust

sUDOKU

the express | December 2014

34. “Hi”, in Honolulu 35. Lady Gaga song 36. It grows on you? 40. ___ de plume 41. Grasped 42. Be in debt to 44. “_______ or be square!” (2 words) 47. “Alley ___!” 48. Havoc 49. Slugger’s stat (abbr.) 53. Acclimate (to) 54. Animal with a long snout 55. Member of a trio in “The Lion King” 56. Composition 58. At the pinnacle 59. Ocean liner’s destination 60. Vocalized 62. Letter after upsilon 63. Darlin’

By Avery Mojica

OPINION

Keep it to yourself

Hateful opinions don’t help anyone or anything; all they do is hold us back. One of these negative opinions is homophobia. In school and throughout society, people refer to things they dislike as “gay.” This is often taken as a joke and used to discriminate against those who are homosexual. It’s not a crime to be a part of the gay community. However, there will always be people on both sides of any controversial topic. People can be

homophobic if they want to, but plainly conveying it in a harmful manner is not okay. People should be more accepting of the gay community. Recently, same-sex marriage was legalized in Kansas. People should not be singled out for what they want. The Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka protests the LGBT community, claiming it is “ungodly” in their eyes. Even the children of the church hold signs that say “God Hates Fags” at their protests. This protesting is an extreme example of how flaunting opinions out in the open hurts other people. People are openly telling others that being homosexual is something that no one should be. Homophobia does not only exist in extremes such as the Westboro Baptist Church, but in little side comments as well. I was in band class eating pancakes at the annual breakfast when I hugged my best friend because she was having a bad day. As I hugged her, a boy came up and

I had the ideal childhood. My best friend lived the next door down, and we spent endless hours running around outside, our giggles adding to the sounds of cicadas, chirping birds and winter wind. When it was warm out my mom walked us to the pool, and on snow days we would slide down my steep, icy driveway on our tummies. I never had to move, I never had to worry about difficult transitions; nothing ever varied. It was a time of consistency and a time of happiness. I have a sister who is three years older than me, and I spent each one of those sunny days looking up to her. I yearned for change. Those days of naptime and snack time seemed to drag by, and waiting for the next phase made those days extend even longer. I impatiently awaited being in middle school and having passing periods and lockers and T-Bird Nights. Then I anticipated attending Northwest and being in the marching band and going to dances and being friends with tall, terrifying upperclassmen. It seemed unbearable waiting to drive, waiting to stay out late; it was impossible to wait for any of it. In retrospect, I wish I lived each day for

what it was, not for what it would be the next day, the next month, the next year. I tarnished my perfect childhood by only focusing on the moments to come. I have always been guilty of looking to the future incessantly. I now turn to awaiting weekends, winter break, college visits, graduation, life in a big city and a job I love. I never stop thinking about the future. As a junior, I am already counting down the months I have until I begin the next four year phase of my life. The prospects of the future are what keeps me motivated, but looking ahead also keeps me from living in the present. It eliminates taking things in as they are and replaces it with thoughts of how things will be or should be. It is healthy to await upcoming events and milestones--necessary, even--but like anything, it can certainly be overdone. Of course everyone wishes for things to improve, but the truth that we all know deep down--but generally refuse to accept--is that our lives are not those things we wish for. Rather, all we have to work with is our current situation. It is human nature to anticipate the

by Morgan Lewis said “God doesn’t believe in lesbians.” He defended himself by quoting the Bible, but that was no excuse. He blatantly showed negativity about something he probably does not know anything about. I am a Christian, but my interpretation of the Bible appears to be different than his. He may have grown up learning that being gay is a sin, but in the real world, the only wrong someone can do is hurt another person. Using religion as an excuse to judge others is not okay. Homophobia is something people should attempt to overcome, but at the very least not openly express. People still continue to be homophobic about something they cannot comprehend. It is hard to change something people have believed in their whole life. I don’t expect that change to happen within people, but I ask them to think about what they say before it is said. Think, “will this offend someone around me?” If the answer is yes, keep it to yourself.

The best gift is the present

by Olivia Baird

approaching times. However, some of the very best moments occur when the focus is solely on the present, not what there is to do or what there is to look forward to. Do your best to live in the present. Take a moment to stop and look at the stars. Notice the snowflakes that get stuck in your eyelashes in the freezing cold. Drive home with your winter coat and gloves on, windows rolled down and music turned up. Savor each and every moment without becoming consumed by the really good ones or the really bad ones. Life is a beautiful thing; you simply have to take the time to notice it.

FIND COLUMNS, REVIEWS, BLOGS AND MORE ONLINE, AT BVNWNEWS.COM

The express | december 2014

STAFF EDITORIAL

motivation for education We are a generation rooted in movements: feminism, racial equality, gay rights, marijuana legalization. These movements have radically transformed with the integration of social media, sometimes making progress so fast that society can barely keep a grasp on it. We are quick to assess events and quick to throw our thoughts out on social media. However, this impulse means that people usually have no clue what they’re talking about. Misinformation can spiral out of control easily when everyone is adamant on vocalizing their opinions in the most witty and loudest way possible. We need to educate ourselves on issues before we dictate our opinions. To begin acting as adults who listen to others’ opinions and think critically, there must be an awareness and discussion of events. However, there are no benefits to going on a tangent about something with which we don’t have a firm foundation of knowledge. If we want to be able to be taken seriously, we need to learn how to appease that impulse to tweet, to share, to text, to shout into the void without any prior knowledge. Whether we spend an extra 30 seconds fact-checking that Kardashian photoshoot before tweeting a reaction or we thoroughly delve into the history of Islamic relations before making an offhanded comment during class, taking the extra time now rather than later can save us all from looking like fools. For current events, especially high profile ones such as Ferguson, the school should foster some conversation of what is going on in our world and how it affects us. While it is not completely the school’s fault that next to no discussion occurred in classrooms, perhaps students would have felt more encouraged to share their opinions if Ferguson was even talked about in the first place. On the other hand, no students really stepped up and sparked any discussion. School should be a place that fosters factual objective conversation. Based on the flurry of conversation on social media between BVNW students about Ferguson, there clearly was a need to address the event within our school community. How are we supposed to be prepared for society when we ignore the world around us?

do you believe students often express opinions without being properly informed?

Yes 97% No 3% out of 560 students polled during lunch dec. 3.

New idea? Got a story? Took a photo?

SEND IT TO US The express c/o blue Valley Northwest high school 13260 switzer rd Overland park, Ks 66213 bVNWnewspaper@bluevalleyk12. org room 902 suggested length under 1,000 words please include subject information about photos. *The Express has the right to edit all submissions.

15 political cartoon by Madison Graves

Blue Valley School District #229 Blue Valley Northwest H.S. 15020 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66223

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